


The Lonely Star

by Ohlookitstomorrow



Series: TWW Winter Fluff Event [15]
Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017), The Worst Witch - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, I'm sorry but this is perhaps the fluffiest cheese I have ever written, Prompt - Stars, Written for the WW2018WinterFluffEvent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 06:19:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17075003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ohlookitstomorrow/pseuds/Ohlookitstomorrow
Summary: Hecate's day has been stressful, to say the least. If one was asked to describe Miss Hardbroom, warm and caring would probably fail to make an appearance. Such behaviours, however, can be learned.





	The Lonely Star

The cries of an unwell toddler had plagued Hecate for the past two hours. After a long day, surrounded by unruly girls, all Hecate wanted was to come home and enjoy a relatively peaceful evening.

However, as soon as Hecate had walked through the door of the cosy cottage; she knew the possibility of quiet relaxation, was rather slim. Upon registering the appearance of her Mother, the golden-haired child had wailed and wailed 'til Hecate had picked her up: and even then, Emmeline had continued to girn in un-comfort. 

Hecate's Mother-in-law had begged off as soon as she could, calling out instructions for the lasagne in the oven as she went. It was rare for Mother and Daughter to be alone on a Friday evening, and Hecate found herself to be slightly nervous.

Emmeline had been suffering from a dry-cough all week, but apparently, catching a cold in December wasn't uncommon, or life-threatening. Hecate had tried every method known to man, but nothing would assuage the whimpers that wracked the two-year-old girl.

Come nine of the clock, Hecate was dead on her feet. Dinner had gone about as bad as one could expect - the lasagne was now a blackened crisp, thrown haphazardly in the bin. Attempting to bath her restless Daughter, Hecate had smelt the unmistakable scent of burning. It was Hecate who was suffering from the hunger - Emmeline had been refusing all meals that weren't exclusively sweet since her cold began, and the child had been more than happy with a bowl of honey-laden porridge.

Finally, Emmeline had quietened enough for Hecate to attempt to put the girl to bed. But of course, as soon as Mother and Daughter disconnected, Emmeline started crying hysterically. "Oh, Emmy, please... let's go to sleep - your Mother is tired."

"Mum no leave, no, Muma stay with me!" Tears of exhaustion and frustration rolled down Hecate's cheeks as her Daughter cried while trying to reach for her.

Emmeline had gone through a phase of refusing to sleep unless she was cuddled up between her parents - not the best situation, especially when both adults had started growing despondent at the lack of physical intimacy in their marriage. Only in the last few months, after a considerable amount of perseverance, had Emmeline returned to her own bed. Therefore, Hecate was reluctant to give into her Daughter's demands; but right now, tiredness had overtaken any thought of sense.

"If I lay down with you, will you promise to try and go to sleep?"

Hecate could see her Daughter weighing up the pro's and con's of the offer: with the slight furrow of her brow and the scrunch of her nose, Hecate was immediately put in mind of another, adorable blonde - one she missed intensely at the moment. "Okay, Muma," Emmeline scootched over, allowing a fully-dressed Hecate to climb in and wrap them both in the soft-pink duvet.

"Clever girl." Emmeline snuggled into her Mother's side, her hand immediately delving into raven tresses piled high on Hecate's head - it was a learned behaviour, and comforting for both of them. Sighing at the first moment of silence all evening, Hecate savoured having her Daughter so close. For nine months, Hecate had nurtured a little life in the most sacred way, but when Emmeline was born, fear prevented Hecate from bonding with her child in the way she would have liked.

At the age of five, Hecate had lost her own Mother - at times she still cried in the dead of night, the fact she could no longer picture her Mother's face, or remember the sound of her voice, had Hecate wondering if the woman ever really existed. After her Mother's death, Hecate had been left in the sole care of her Father: a cold, emotionless, and often cruel, man, the young Hecate was conditioned into being self-contained. But she never lost the longing for a Motherly figure.

In her last year of school, Hecate had been approached by a middle-aged witch who professed to have a care for the young Hardbroom's future. Mistress Broomhead had seduced Hecate into abandoning the few things she held dear, and before she knew it, Hecate was perched at the beginning of an unknown apprenticeship.

Hecate had been entirely wrong to place her desire for Motherly love in Broomhead - the woman was more manipulative and sadistic than her own Father. Yet, Hecate stayed with her long after her education was supposed to have ceased. When Ada appeared and persuaded Hecate that her talents would be valued at Cackle's Acadamy, only then did she manage to escape.

Ada proved to be a much-needed friend, and as Hecate grew in years and maturity, the two adopted a pseudo Mother and Daughter bond. It had been something Hecate had longed for her entire life, and if it weren't for Ada, then Hecate would've had no portrait of a Mother to emulate when her own turn came.

But when Emmeline was born, Hecate had stepped back, scared she'd end up like her Father, or worse, Mistress Broomhead.

It had taken a lot of personal reflection and courage, but after battling with her past, Hecate had slowly learned to show her affection for her Daughter without fear as a companion. 

If anyone saw Hecate Hardbroom now - curled up in a mass of pink, her hair a complete mess thanks to chubby, little hands - they would be sure to laugh. But, when it came to the loving family she'd built, Hecate was no longer embarrassed to be seen as a vulnerable, human being with thoughts feelings and emotions. 

"Muma?" Emmeline whispered.

"Yes, Emmy?"

"Can you tell me a story?"

Hecate looked into the deep, brown eyes of her Daughter, she was glad to see the beginnings of sleep managing to sneak in. Sometimes, Hecate was in complete disbelief that she'd actually created such a beautiful, empathetic, intelligent little witch - Emmeline appeared to be her complete antithesis. They looked very little alike, apart from the eyes. Emmeline, like Hecate, had brown eyes, so dark, they were almost black. Hecate thought her Daughter had beautiful eyes - it was true what they said, 'eyes are the windows to the soul' - and that touched her deeply: to be able to see a part of herself reflected in a light that wasn't the hottest of flames.

"What kind of story would Muma's, little witch like to hear?" Hopefully, telling a story would soothe the child to sleep.

"A special story, Muma," cuddling closer, so that she now lay partly atop her Mother, Emmeline tried to stifle a yawn. 

Hecate had to suppress the urge to appear excited at the thought of her Daughter being asleep in a few, short minutes. 

"Once upon a time, as that's how all good stories begin, there was a lonely star who lived on the very edge of the Milky Way. This star didn't shine as brightly as the others, and so, she'd been left alone - no friends around her."

"I'd be her friend, Muma." A lump formed in Hecate's throat as she heard the honesty in her Daughter's words, the little girl had certainly taken the best aspects of both her parents. 

"That's very kind of you, Emmy," Unable to say more, due to the waver of emotion in her voice, Hecate kissed the apple of Daughter's rosy cheek, before continuing the story.

"For many years, the lonely star waited for someone to come for her, but no one ever did. The small amount of light the star possessed, started to dwindle, until one day; she looked and hadn't a drop. She wept in mourning, all of the other stars - way off in the distance - their light brought colour to the galaxy: but she only induced darkness. `Any hopes she ever had of someone finally seeing her, vanished with the last remnants of her light.

"One night, the lonely star watched, as a bright, pinkish light, shot through the sky. It looked just like a star, but it was far more beautiful. Every night - for who knows how long - the pink light, wooshed, across the sky! With every pass, it got nearer and nearer to the lonely star who had no light.

"The lonely star hoped, and prayed, for just a smidgen of her light back. She wanted this pink light to see her - she had never wanted anything more. But it only rushed by, never seeing the lonely star who watched in silence.

"However, one night, the pink light came so near, so fast - it barrelled into the lonely star, and finally, her presence was known. The lonely star and the pink light were complete parallels, yet they quickly became the best of friends.

"The star was no longer lonely, and the presence of someone who loved her (and saw her flaws as a different picture of beauty) made the star forget all about the light she didn't have: for the pink light had more than enough for both of them. 

"The end."

All was quiet as Hecate finished the story; finally, Emmeline had found some rest.

Unbeknownst to Hecate, however, was the pink figure who'd been listening from outside the door that stood ajar. 

Pippa had shed tears of pride as she watched her wife and their Daughter, share in a beautiful moment.

"Hello, Hiccup," Pippa whispered as she moved into the soft glow of Emmeline's night-light.

The voice startled Hecate briefly, and she held her breath as the child stirred in her arms at the sudden movement; thankfully, Emmeline was so worn-out, she never woke.

Managing to roll her Daughter over softly, Hecate snuck out of bed and moved to greet her wife, the two of them going into the hall to talk. "Hello, Pipsqueak," Hecate whispered, before allowing herself to be enveloped in a warm embrace.

"I'm sorry I'm so late, darling. How have my girls been?" It never failed to surprise Hecate, the way she reacted to Pippa's affection. With Pippa, Hecate felt safe and loved - both were foreign concepts to the once, lonely Hecate Hardbroom. 

Holding Pippa close, in much the same way Emmeline had cuddled into her, Hecate allowed the stress of her day to seep away. "Emmy's been clingy, your Mother said she was the same all day. But I managed to get her into a warm bath of soothing lavender, and she ate a full bowl of porridge."

"And my other girl?" Pippa asked, narrowing her eyes in accusation.

"I'm fine-"

"Hecate," Pippa interrupted in chastisement. "Tell me the truth, I can see you're not okay, and, I smelled burnt cooking as soon as I got home?"

Looking down guiltily, Hecate admitted; "Your Mother made lasagne, all I had to do was warm it up, but Emmeline wasn't that keen on having a bath - it took longer than I'd intended... I'm sorry, Pippa, I can't even do the simplest things right."

Pippa lifted Hecate's chin, forcing their eyes to meet. "You listen to me, Hecate Hardbroom: you are the most amazing woman I know! Emmy and I are so lucky to have you - so what, you burnt the dinner; what were you supposed to do, leave our unwell two-year-old to finish off in the bath by herself?"

"Well... when you put it that way..."

"Oh, Hiccup," Pippa sighed, before kissing her wife soundly. "You are ridiculous, but I love you dearly."

"I love you too," whispered Hecate, bringing Pippa's lips to meet her own once again. Pippa had to clap a hand over her mouth to muffle her laughter as Hecate yawned into their kiss.

"Go and have your shower, sweetheart, while I say goodnight to our Daughter and then make you something to eat."

As Hecate did as she was told, she smiled in thought: Pippa really had brought light into her life, and now, the darkness that had once clouded Hecate's soul, failed to hurt her anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> I really struggled with this prompt, I don't know why. And then I had this idea of Hecate as a Mother (something I'd sworn not to write) telling her child a bedtime story... I'm not too sure if I've managed to pull it off... but hey ho, here you go.
> 
> You can find me on;
> 
> Tumblr @ohlookitstomorrowff  
> Instagram @ohlookitstomorrow
> 
> Catch:)


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